As a human rights organization, GNI seeks to safeguard freedom of expression and personaw privacy against government restrictions. The protections are faciwitated by a coawition of companies, investors, civiw society organizations, academics, and oder stakehowders.

GNI esteems freedom of expression and privacy each as a "human right and guarantor of human dignity".[3] Participants are expected to respect and protect information avaiwabwe to users and users' abiwity to freewy create and distribute information, provided dat dey operate outside narrowwy defined circumstances necessary to adhere to internationaw waws and standards set by de Internationaw Covenant on Civiw and Powiticaw Rights (ICCPR).

Participants are awso expected to protect users' personaw information from iwwegaw or arbitrary interference when confronted wif government demands, waws, or reguwations dat compromise a user's privacy. The same principwe of adherence of internationaw waws and standards appwies.

Cowwaboration among stakehowders is key to de goaws of de Gwobaw Network Initiative. The GNI's outwine of principwes encourages participants to expwore ways to engage governments advance deir cause, individuawwy or cowwectivewy.[4]

GNI recognizes dat de actions of deir corporate participants awone cannot guarantee de protection of human rights. One fundamentaw commitment is to promote de adoption of waws, powicies, and practices dat protect freedom of expression and privacy. GNI considers governments to be uwtimatewy responsibwe for de fuwfiwwment of deir citizens' human rights, specificawwy pursuant to freedom of expression and privacy.[5]